Chicago Is Considering An Updated Smoking Ban

Posted by Alex L. on Dec 02, 2014

The first step to regulate the electronic cigarette may be on the horizon for Chicago. The regulation is for the saleof e-cigarettes. The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that Mayor Rahm Emanuel is joining forces with two alderman named Will Burns (4th) and Ed Burke (14th). The push is for e-cigarettes to be regulated as tobacco products and for the e-cigarette to have the same restrictions as the existing smoking ban.

Smoking Ban

source: Wikipedia

The ban would be for electronic cigarettes to be banned for minors and would also mean that e-cigarettes are not to be smoked where traditional cigarettes are already banned. This aggressive movewould make Chicago the first major city to ban electronic cigarettes from being smoked in most public places. This particular ban will be presented along with a companion ordinance banning the sale of tobacco with flavor within 500 feet of a school. The introduction of these proposals will be introduced to the City Council on Tuesday.

Will New York Be Next?

The NYC City Council will be discussing electronic cigarettes and restrictions on December 4, 2013. Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Councilmember James Gennaro will be proposing the topic that allowing e-cigarettes in public places threatens “effective enforcement” of the smoking ban. The two released a statement “We all know that smoking is a particularly difficult habit to quit. Allowing smokers an easy way to maintain their nicotine intake indoors can make quitting even harder.”

Battery operated electronic cigarettes are expected to bring $1.7 billion in U.S. sales this year. Even though sales of the electronic cigarette are expected to increase, city officials are hopingthat increasing the cigarette sales tax and releasing a citywide anti-smoking ad campaign will improve the situation.